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It’s May 14, 2013 and I am now 32 years of age. It has been an interesting year. A month before my 31st birthday I began my Masters program for New Media Journalism. I have always had a passion to write, investigate and in the end tell a story. Although I had already completed a couple degrees in design I wanted to do something in journalism in order to give myself a well-rounded pallet of skills.

During my Masters program I found a new passion in podcasting. It started as part of a class assignment but has evolved into something much more. I began with a show that featured myself and two other guys telling it how it is. We call ourselves the AudioVillains and believe me when I say that we are not only funny but if you want to leave reality for just a moment then this show is the one for you.

Between family time, school, work and podcasting I was able to move forward with an idea that originally began as a blog segment about my experience as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. That idea was called, Within the Trenches. I started it as just a blog segment where I shared my stories from behind the mic. I wanted the public to know what really goes on in dispatch. The posts became rather popular but I wanted to do more with it. I decided to launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the equipment needed to turn Within the Trenches into a podcast.

Since the launch and success of the campaign the show has been going strong. I have had a front-page article in a local newspaper; a telecast segment and I have added a co-host to the show. Things keep getting better and now that I have graduated I am looking to expand during the next year. Early this morning my co-host and co-worker Whitney asked me a series of questions regarding the best and worst of this past year and what I look forward to most this year. She really made me think and what I want to do is spend more time with my family and get back to basics of my new business while keeping it fresh.

I want to take my lineup of podcasts to the next level and expand. I want people to know more about what goes on in dispatch as well as help my fellow dispatchers learn more about our profession. I’m going to seek sponsors and help highlight what they have to offer. In the beginning it was all about blogging and I did well telling many stories. From what I have noticed, it is time to get back to blogging and highlight local businesses and stories around me. The next year looks bright and I’m anxious to get going. A big thanks goes to my wife Rebecca and my kids for sticking with me throughout this entire process and to everyone who continues to read and listen to the podcasts that I am producing and to those who have been a part of them. You know who you are!

Close up of marijuana growing within the compound. Taken by Ricardo Martinez II of Jabber Log

The election has come and gone but the one thing that has people talking, other than who was elected, is the recreational use and legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington. On top of that, two more states have legalized the use of medical marijuana. A total of 18 states have now legalized medical marijuana and this continues to be a hot topic. It also continues to be a tricky law when it comes to law enforcement. Last month, the idea of releasing a list of growers to the police was brought up at a council meeting in Escanaba, MI. Jabber Log was also able to meet with a local grower to express his feelings on the matter and how it could relate to an invasion of privacy.

According to dailypress.net, “Concerns regarding the state’s medical marijuana act has prompted Escanaba,” a city in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, “to develop a resolution addressing local issues with the state legislation.” Mayor Pro Tem Brady Nelson addressed the law. The dailypress.net went on to say that Nelson has, “encouraged area municipalities to join the bandwagon in voicing concerns on the legislation enacted in 2008.”

Prior to this meeting, members of the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team, known as UPSET, gave a presentation on drug abuse. Former member of UPSET, Commander Lt. George Sailer of the Michigan State Police was quoted by dailypress.net as saying, “one issue with the medical marijuana law is that police do not have access to the names of people who have cards allowing them to grow marijuana. The state does not give out the names because of patient confidentiality and medical privacy rules, he said.”

Nelson, the mayor of Escanaba, “recommends individuals contact their state representatives, including the governor’s office, to allow local control on marijuana grows and to provide law enforcement with a list of who can legally grow marijuana here,” said the dailypress.net. Now, this is where we went to speak with a local grower, who will be referred to as Esteban, to see what his thoughts were on the idea of local control of marijuana grows and the release of a list to law enforcement.

“The agreement that you sign when you become a patient says that they won’t release this information to anyone. There is a reason that you don’t want this information released.” Esteban goes on to say that, “law enforcement is held to a higher standard but they are still human. A leak to the public; who’s to say that wouldn’t happen?” If the idea brought forth by Nelson were to become a reality in not only his city but throughout the entire state of Michigan, would it be considered an invasion of privacy? The freedictionary.com defines invasion of privacy as, “the intrusion into the personal life of another, without just cause, which can give the person whose privacy has been invaded a right to bring a lawsuit for damages against the person or entity that intruded.” The site goes on to define it as the, “intrusion on one’s solitude or into one’s private affairs.”

The use and regulation of medical marijuana will continue to be a hot topic. The idea brought forth by Nelson is just that, an idea, and a recommendation. What do you think and how do you feel about the release of a list of growers to local law enforcement? Should this be covered under medical privacy? The whole interview with Esteban has been included within this publication. His voice and name have been altered for this piece.

Close up of marijuana growing. Taken by Ricardo Martinez II of Jabber Log

Wide shot of 2 1/2 foot plants growing in the light room of the compound. Taken by Ricardo Martinez II of Jabber Log

Wide shot of marijuana growing in the light room. Taken by Ricardo Martinez II of Jabber Log

Marijuana growing within the light room in the compound. Taken by Ricardo Martinez II of Jabber Log

Close up of a 2 1/2 foot marijuana plant. Taken by Ricardo Martinez II of Jabber Log

Hello fellow Jabber Loggers! Today is an excellent day! Not only are we getting closer to Christmas but I get to spend it with my family on both days for the first time. I also just saw the trailer for the next blockbuster movie coming December 14th 2012. The movie comes from the makers of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and I can’t say how excited I am for the release of The Hobbit! If you are unaware of what The Hobbit is then you need to hit your local library and check out the book and read it. If you don’t like to read then go to Netflix or your local and possibly outdated video store and rent The Hobbit. It is a cartoon but if you like fantasy you’ll dig it. Even if you don’t it’s rather interesting. The story has gone from print, to video, and in 2012 it will come to the big screen.

I was first introduced to The Hobbit when I was a kid. My parents had gone to Mr. Music’s, our local video store, and rented it along with Pete’s Dragon. I remember watching Pete’s Dragon and thinking it was cool but when The Hobbit started I was glued to the TV in amazement. The talk of adventures with dwarf’s, hobbits, wizards, elves, and dragons appealed to me more than the fun loving relationship between a boy and his dragon from the previous movie. I probably watched it several more times before taking the movie back but since then I have been a fan. I’ve passed on my love for J.R.R. Tolkien, the author, down to my siblings and my son. We are all big fans and when the trilogy for The Lord of the Rings came out we were more than excited. My siblings and I went to watch the first installment of the trilogy and this is going to sound lame but watching it come to life was awesome! I remember slugging one of my siblings on the arm and saying,

“Look! Bilbo’s house is real!”

I know, I know…very dorky and lame but I don’t care! Think about your love for Harry Potter or the Hunger Games and that’s the equivalent of my excitement for this. The movies were epic and now that The Hobbit is coming next year my excitement is unbearable. In this series we will get to see how Bilbo took possession of “The Ring” that is the focus of The Lord of the Rings series. It’ll be good stuff but if the Mayan calendar is right and the world ends December 21st 2012, I will be happy with this being my last movie….wait! Actually no, I’ll be pissed off because I believe this will be only the first of three parts. Crap! Well, I’m sure it’s a fluke but if not I suppose I can do without the other installments…yeah…I suppose. For now though, make sure to read The Hobbit or go out and rent the video in order to refresh yourself with the story and below I have included the official trailer. Happy reading, viewing, and cheers to this upcoming epic tale!